Queen 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Collector’s Box Set Vol. 3 Review

Queen returns with the third installment of their Limited Edition Collector’s box set to celebrate their 40th Anniversary which is this year. This impressive box set is the closing piece to a year long event that has spawned reissues of the entire studio catalog of Queen. All albums were remastered by Bob Ludwig from the original material. But will Queen rock us with this edition like they used to?

The Contents

This Volume 3 of the Queen 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Box Set contains the albums The Works, A Kind of Magic, The Miracle, Innuendo and Made in Heaven. All albums have been given a double CD release where CD1 contains the remastered album and CD2 contains a ton of extras and rareties which is nice because that way the bonus material won’t distract from the actual albums. CD2 contains rare stuff like alternative takes, b-sides etc. I liked these a lot and couldn’t help but wonder if this all there is, or if there might be more stuff floating out there. Aside from the five remastered albums and bonus materials which make 10 CD’s in total you also get a cool storage box and a great 24 panel poster. That’s not bad for around $75 bucks but only if the sound is significantly better than the original albums. So what do they sound like?

Sound Quality

I was naturally worried that the remastered editions would suffer from what people nowadays call the Loudness War that has plagued so many other re-issues of legendary eighties and nineties music. This is what we call the insane compression that record companies apply to modern albums to make them sound as loud as possible. Bad examples of this include Metallica where the original sound waves seem to have been squashed into one giant stream of noise without any dynamics whatsoever. But.. we are glad to report that this is not the case at all. Yes the result is more “hot” than the original releases as is logical with the application of more modern mastering techniques but fortunately all of the punch and dynamics are still present. Moreover the albums sound cleaner and more alive than ever before. The veil that was present on some of the originals and resulted in a rather dull sound seems to have been lifted and Freddy Mercury’s voice really and I mean really shines in these recordings. In fact it would not surprise me if fans will regard this final installment in the trilogy as the best reissue to date.

Value for Money

So is it worth buying? Well most Queen fans seem to favor the earlier works of Queen more than those that are present in these album series but I have to disagree. There are many awesome songs in this box and in my opinion this simply is a must have for any true fan of Queen. In fact I just persuaded my wife to ask santa to get me the entire trilogy as an xmas present.

The Verdict

- Awesome sound
- A ton of cool extras
- nice poster to complete the collection
- A must have for any true Queen fan
- Might appeal a little less to fans that only appreciate the earlier works

Frank Sinatra The Reprise Years – Review

This stunning box set was inspired by the 50th Anniversary of when Reprise was formed by Frank Sinatra. It features 35 albums, a Special DVD – ‘A Man And His Music – Trilogy’ (re-mastered and never before released on one disc!). With Xmas on the way, this is definitely the ultimate gift for Sinatra fans! Some of the highlights of this release:

Albums
35(!) classic albums – September Of My Years, Sinatra-Basie, Strangers In The Night, LA Is My Lady, Sinatra & Jobim, My Way, A Man Alone, Watertown as well as definitive collections – Trilogy: Past, Present & Future (2CD) and A Man And His Music (2CD)

Deluxe Box Set
Black linen box with blue velvet flock that contains all standard issues of the studio albums that were released through the ‘Reprise Years’ series. All albums packaged in paper-sleeves.

Special DVD – ‘A Man And His Music – Trilogy’
DVD-9 with a running time of approx. 2 hours and 37 minutes featuring brand new remastered audio. Perfect PCM uncompressed audiophile quality. Never before released on one disc! Contains all of Sinatra’s swingin’ 60’, the “A Man And His Music” TV specials (Part 1, 2 and Ella and Jobim) . Featuring breathtaking performances with Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim. This disc is Region 0 and thus playable on all DVD players worldwide.

I have to say thi sis one of the most impressive artist collection box sets I’ve seen from this publisher to date. The collection is massive with 35 (!) albums, a ton of background info and specials and a nice box to keep everything properly stored and cared for. The audio is pretty much flawless and I was pleased to see they’ve included an uncompressed PCM stream on the DVD9 although I doubt that it will make much of a difference to most listeners. My only minor gripe with this release is the storage format. We’ve seen quite a few large scale releaes of long time favorite artists passing these offices in the past few years and paper sleave thing is just not doing it for me. The copy I received had some flaws in the CD sleaves and I find that unless you truly keep everything neat and tidy inside the box, they tend to damage fairly quickly. I also cannot help but wonder why in this modern day and age we don’t see more simultaneous releases on usb or online media. The Beatles have proven to be quite succesful with this approach and although I understand that many old time fans of Sinatra will likely be clinging to their CD players or vinyl records, I cannot help but wonder why publishers keep underestimating the sheer number of people that exclusively listen to music on ipods or similar media storage. That being said this collection remains a very impressive piece of work. The recent prices I see online (around $300) for this release IMHO are a bit steep but time will tell if this collection will grow to be the sought after collectable it so obviously wants to be.

SEE AVAILABLITY
on Amazon.com

Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones In Concert 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Box Set

3 LPs, 3 CDs + 1 DVD

“GET YER YA-YA’S OUT!” – recorded in 1969 over two nights at Madison Square Garden – is the last official live document of the Rolling Stones in their swaggering Sixties prime; it’s also one of the greatest live albums of all time. This 40TH ANNIVERSARY SUPER DELUXE BOX SET features three 180 gram audiophile quality vinyl LPs (one side of which features an etched replica of the album’s key art, with signatures from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor), 3 CDs that mirror the exact content on the LPs, 1 DVD, a 12 X 12/56-page Collector’s Book and a 12 X 12 replica of the original 1969 poster by Grammy Award© winning artist David Edward Byrd, whose works include the commemorative poster from the original Woodstock Festival and the historic Fillmore East posters from 1968 to 1971.

The first LP is a newly remastered version of the original GET YER YA-YA’S OUT! release. The second LP features 5 unreleased tracks by The Rolling Stones culled from the November 27 & 28, 1969 Madison Square Garden concert master tapes. The third LP features 12 never before released tracks by opening acts B.B. King and Ike & Tina Turner. The DVD features performances by the Rolling Stones from their 2 night concert at Madison Square Garden, backstage footage, scenes of Keith Richards in the studio and footage of the GET YER YA-YA’S OUT! album cover shoot, all shot by Albert and David Maysles.

The 56-page Collector’s Book includes photos and an essay by acclaimed photographer Ethan Russell, an original article by Lester Bangs from Rolling Stone magazine and remembrances from concert-goers. A limited number of the Super Deluxe Box Sets will also contain an insert with a code to download “I’m Free (Live)” for Guitar Hero 5.

This three-disc remastered Ya-Ya’s includes the original in all its gritty glory. Disc Two is a five-song EP from the same shows, with acoustic performances – “Prodigal Son” and “You Gotta Move” – from Richards (playing a resonator guitar) and Jagger. The third disc is an unexpected treat: blistering sets by openers B.B. King plus Ike and Tina Turner (doing an outrageously steamy take on Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long”). And serious rock geeks will enjoy the final flourish: the original ROLLING STONE review, by Lester Bangs.

Rolling Stones: Exile on Main St. (Super Deluxe Edition)

Exile on Main Street is available in two CD formats: the original 18 track release; a deluxe CD edition with the 10 special bonus tracks; and a super deluxe package that also includes vinyl, a 30-minute documentary DVD with footage from Cocksucker Blues, Ladies and Gentlemen… the Rolling Stones and Stones in Exile, and a 50-page collector’s book with photos from the Exile era. The 10 unreleased tracks were produced by Jimmy Miller, The Glimmer Twins and Don Was.

This title was released on May 17, 2010. It is now available HERE ON AMAZON

Upon its release more than three decades ago, Exile on Main Street innovatively wove varying musical genres, instruments and even artists into a compelling rhythmic masterpiece. This new compilation features 10 tracks originally recorded during the Exile era and only recently discovered while working on the reissue project. The unearthed tracks which include such titles as “Plundered My Soul,” “Dancing in the Light,” “Following the River” and “Pass The Wine” have undergone a unique evolution, while staying true to the essence of the 1972 album. Alternate versions of “Soul Survivor” and “Loving Cup” also are a part of the Exile bonus materials.

As a complement to the release of Exile on Main Street, a documentary, “Stones in Exile,” has just been completed for fans to view on US Network television and through BBC Worldwide internationally. The documentary features rare, never-before-seen archival film, photos and interviews as well as new conversations with the band and the artists they influence. Produced by Oscar -winning filmmaker John Battsek and directed by Stephen Kijak, who is known for award-winning work on Cinemania, and Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, “Stones in Exile” offers an uncommon glimpse into the lives of the band as they created one of the greatest albums of all time.

If you like this box set, you might also be interested in the following other recent releases:
Exile on Main Street (Dlx)
Rolling Stones – Get Your Ya Yas Out 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Box Set

The original 18-track double-album was recorded in various stages at multiple locations, including Olympic Studios in London, Keith Richard’s mansion Nellcote in France, and in Los Angeles where the literal “Main Street” influenced the album title. These atypical circumstances surrounding the recording process greatly affected the album’s outcome which was highly reflective and influenced by the sociopolitical turbulence that marked the late `60s and early `70s. The Stones nixed the influences of a flower-child era and directed their creative process with the edgier, excessive, “more is more” approach of the `70s. Exile reveals a sprawling mix of genres with undertones of blues, country, R&B and gospel mixed with lyrics that fervently demand for release and liberation.

The album pulled together an electric array of talent including Dr. John, the late Billy Preston and pianist Nicky Hopkins. Guitarist Mick Taylor, who replaced Brian Jones in the band shortly before Jones died in 1969, is a magnificent blues player who brought an intensity and elegance to these epic tracks. At times, these musicians and others lived on the recording studio premises with the band creating an extremely open and creative collaboration for the album.

“The album’s riveting portrait of artists pushed – by the times, by themselves – to the very limits of their creativity has provided inspiration to every musical generation that has come along since Exile was released in 1972,” said author Anthony DeCurtis. “Every song on Exile on Main Street is elevated by its relationship to the music that comes before and after it. The album’s irresistible power is unlikely to diminish any time soon.”

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Rocks Off
2. Rip This Joint
3. Shake Your Hips
4. Casino Boogie
5. Tumbling Dice
6. Sweet Virginia
7. Torn And Frayed
8. Sweet Black Angel
9. Loving Cup
10. Happy
11. Turd On The Run
12. Ventilator Blues
13. I Just Want To See His Face
14. Let It Loose
15. All Down The Line
16. Stop Breaking Down
17. Shine A Light
18. Soul Survivor

Disc: 2

1. Loving Cup – Alternate Take
2. Pass The Wine (Sophia Loren)
3. I’m Not Signifying
4. Dancing In The Light
5. So Divine (Aladdin Story)
6. Soul Survivor – Alternate Take
7. Following The River
8. Plundered My Soul
9. Good Time Women
10. Title 5

Disc: 3

1. Rocks Off
2. Rip This Joint
3. Shake Your Hips
4. Casino Boogie
5. Tumbling Dice
6. Sweet Virginia
7. Torn And Frayed
8. Sweet Black Angel
9. Loving Cup

Disc: 4

1. Happy
2. Turd On The Run
3. Ventilator Blues
4. I Just Want To See His Face
5. Let It Loose
6. All Down The Line
7. Stop Breaking Down
8. Shine A Light
9. Soul Survivor

Disc: 5

1. Stones in Exile
2. Cocksucker Blues
3. Ladies and Gentlemen… the Rolling Stones

Green Day 7 Inch vinyl box

42 of your favorite Green Day songs pressed on 21 7″ vinyl records. This ultimate fan collector’s set contains “Going To Pasalacqua,” “2000 Light Years,” “86″, “JAR.” and nine No. 1 hits including “Longview,” “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” and “American Idiot.” along with many other tracks. This is a must have for Green Day fans (vinyl record player is not included though)

tracklist:

Going To Pasalacqua
Road To Acceptance
Disappearing Boy
Paper Lanterns
Why Do You Want Him?
409 In Your Coffeemaker
Knowledge
1,000 Hours
Dry Ice
Only Of You
The One I Want
2000 Light Years Away
Welcome To Paradise
Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?
Welcome To Paradise
Christie Road
One Of My Lies
One For The Razorbacks
One Of My Lies
Sweet Children
Best Thing In Town
Strangeland
My Generation
Longview
Welcome To Paradise
Coming Clean
Chump
Basket Case
When I Come Around
Having A Blast
When I Come Around
Geek Stink Breath
Stuck With Me
86
Brain Stew / Jaded
Walking Contradiction
Brain Stew / Jaded
No Pride
J.A.R.
Emenius Sleepus
Hitchin’ A Ride
Good Riddance [Time Of Your Life]
Scattered
Uptight
Redundant
Nice Guys Finish Last
Prosthetic Head
Nice Guys Finish Last
Minority
Warning
Hold On
Outsider
Waiting
Macy’s Day Parade
Fashion Victim
Castaway
Desensitized
Do Da Da
Scumbag
Suffocate
Joe Robot (By The Network )
Money Money 2020 (By The Network )
Roshambo (By The Network )
American Idiot
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
She’s A Rebel
Shoplifter
Holiday
Wake Me Up When September Ends
Letterbomb
Governator
Mother Mary (By Foxboro Hottubs )
She’s A Saint Not A Celebrity (By Foxboro Hottubs )
Know Your Enemy
21 Guns